We're please to announce that New Forest Friends And The Pony Pests is back in print. Since it's original printing in 1997 Pony Pests has sold over 5000 copies in the New Forest area, bringing pleasure to both visitors and locals alike.

Like all of Simon Chadwick's New Forest Friends books it tells a story from the animals' point of view, and in this case it's about the ponies and how we often forget that they live like wild animals and aren't like the horses and ponies we see in a field. Not only is there an entertaining story, but children can learn a little about the New Forest's wildlife via the corners of the pictures, plus there's a foreword from naturalist Chris Packham.

The book's available throughout the New Forest, on Amazon, and from the Ceratopia shop.

It's been available to buy in Australia for the past month, and now it's available everywhere else - it's Quincey Quokka's Quest!Follow Quincey Quokka’s Quest to make his way back home to his Mum and Dad. Along the way he must cross many habitats and encounter many creatures, but not all of them want to help Quincey. But you can.

Through this book children help Quincey through a series of activities that require them to remember, control their actions and exert control over their thinking. In doing so, children gain valuable experience in support of their cognitive development.

Dr Steven Howard is an expert on the cognitive development of children in the preschool and primary school years. The book is designed to help develop children’s abilities to control their thoughts and behaviours – abilities that have been implicated in school readiness, academic success, impulse control, social competence, peer acceptance and proficiency in learning more generally. “Put simply, the ability to self-regulate in early childhood sets the stage for a wide range of abilities and achievements in later life,” Dr Howard said.

Really good write up about Podge Goes Splodge At Hatchet Pond in the current issue of Hampshire Society. Both books are available fromwww.ceratopia.co.uk/shop/ or from Amazon.co.uk, or you can hunt them out in shops in the New Forest area. If you'd like to stock the books, do get in touch here.

An innovative new children’s book has been launched to aid self-control, school readiness and academic success.

An innovative new children’s book has been launched to aid the development of the core cognitive abilities underlying self-control, school readiness and academic success.

Using the latest research in child development, Dr Steven Howard (pictured above) from UOW's Early Start Research Institute, wrote the book, Quincey Quokka’s Quest, in conjunction with UK-based author and illustrator Simon Chadwick.

The book asks children to help the main character, Quincey Quokka, through a series of activities that require them to remember, control their actions and exert control over their thinking.

Dr Howard, an expert on the cognitive development of children in the preschool and primary school years, said the book was designed to help develop children’s abilities to control their thoughts and behaviours – abilities that have been implicated in school readiness, academic success, impulse control, social competence, peer acceptance and proficiency in learning more generally. “Put simply, the ability to self-regulate in early childhood sets the stage for a wide range of abilities and achievements in later life,” Dr Howard said.

The motivation for creating this book came from parents and educators inevitably asking 'What can I do to help my child?' at the end of each of Dr Howard’s studies into the nature, development and importance of self-regulation.

“This is where research has tended to be deficient,” Dr Howard said. “Much of the research to date is on expensive computer-based brain training programs, which typically cost hundreds or thousands of dollars and provide, at best, only modest gains. They are rarely designed for young children, even though research suggests that the strongest and longest-lasting benefits occur when we intervene early in life.”

Given that these brain-training programs use well-established psychological principles and practice, Dr Howard set about creating a low-cost, family and educator-friendly way to foster young children's executive functioning and self-regulation.

The result is a colourful, creative and fun children’s picture book that aims to not only promote children’s development, but also teach children about Australian animals, environments and rhyme in a vibrant and engaging way. Dr Howard said that by helping Quincey Quokka, children are able to practice their cognitive abilities, which is at the heart of the improvement.

In fact, recent research has shown that just reading stories to children does not show the same positive effects as when children are also engaged in the book’s cognitive activities. In an assessment of the efficacy of Quincey Quokka’s Quest on cognitive development, positive effects were found regardless of whether the book was read individually or in a group of more than 20 in a preschool – indicating that the book can be an effective tool for parents and educators alike.

More information: Quincey Quokka's Quest by Dr Steven Howard and Simon Chadwick (published by Ceratopia Books) is available online at www.quinceyquokka.comand on Amazon.co.uk.

Martin Bradley's book Top Gun Of The Sky (with a foreword by Chris Packham) has been, by far, Ceratopia Books' biggest selling title on Amazon for the past two months. We're hugely pleased on Martin's behalf, and for the Hawk Conservancy Trust who benefit from each book that's sold.

Now, if you're one of the many Amazon customers who have bought a copy, don't forget that Martin has a second title available, Dusk Until Dawn, about the barn owl, also available from Amazon and from the Ceratopia shop right here.

Val wanted to tell a slightly different story with the new book, so this time it’s a cautionary tale about showing off, and with Podge being a frog that means showing off near water. Packed, once again, with wonderful rhyme and great illustrations, this is a delightful book to share with pre-school and infant-aged children.

The book will be available from the Ceratopia shop or from museums, visitor attractions and shops in the New Forest and surrounding areas.

We've taken delivery of 84 big boxes of Podge! Yes, the new Podge and Dizzy book has arrived! Whether you're fan of the first book, On The Banks Of Hatchet Pond, or new to these New Forest tales, we're sure you're going to love this one.With another delightful story told in wonderful rhyme by Val Anne Lee, and with more of Simon Chadwick's engaging and colourful illustrations, this is a story about the consequences of showing off as Podge finds himself in difficulties upon the water.

Ideal for pre-school and primary-aged children, there are great illustrations to lose yourself in and a splendid rhyming story to share, especially when read out loud.

The book's already on the Ceratopia Shop, and should appear on Amazon and in local New Forest shops and visitor attractions in the coming days and weeks.